This invention relates to a dry shaving apparatus.
From DE 197 22 149 A1 there is known a dry shaving apparatus in which threader combs having comb elements are secured to the longitudinal sides of the shaving head frame, and two short-hair cutter units and two long-hair cutter units are floatingly mounted inside the shaving head frame. The outer cutters of the two long-hair cutter units which are of a U-shaped configuration having slits and segments are each arranged along an outer side of a short-hair cutter unit, which outer side faces the shaving head frame. The slits extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the outer cutter are of wedge-shaped construction with a larger opening width on the outer side facing the shaving head frame and a smaller opening cross section on the inner side facing the outer cutter of the short-hair cutter unit. Forming the slits like this in the outer cutter enables hairs to penetrate the cutting area only in a direction of movement from the shaving head frame to the short-hair cutter unit but not in the opposite direction of movement. Hence the known dry shaving apparatus makes provision for a long-hair cutter unit on each outer side, facing the shaving head frame, of a short-hair cutter unit in order to cut long and short hairs in opposing directions of movement such as typically occur with dry shaving apparatuses.
It is known from DE 37 43 181 A1 to allocate two hair cutter units constructed as trimmers to a short-hair cutter unit of a dry shaving apparatus in order to cut both long and short hairs in opposing directions of movement of the shaving head over the skin. A skin guiding element or a skin tensioning element is associated with, and spaced a certain distance from, the cutting teeth of the respective trimmer, which for trimming purposes are constructed with sharp edges. This predetermined spacing ensures that the cutting teeth make contact with the tensioned skin in order to cut off longer hairs at the skin surface. In use of a dry shaving apparatus of this type it will be noted that the preceding skin guiding elements do not protect the skin from coming into contact with the sharp cutting edges of the cutting teeth in the provided trimming devices. Hence injuries to the skin are not ruled out.
It is known from DE 196 33 824 C1 to associate a spring-mounted guard element with an adjustably mounted trimmer unit so that in a position of use the cutting edge of the trimmer""s cutting teeth can be covered by the guard element.
From DE 82 27 546 U1 there is known a dry shaving apparatus with a housing and a shaving head frame, in which provision is made for a single short-hair cutter unit and a single long-hair trimmer unit of essentially U-shaped construction on an outer side of the short-hair cutter unit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an economically priced dry shaving apparatus with which both long hairs and shorts hairs are guaranteed to be cut, also during opposing directions of movement of the dry shaving apparatus over the area of skin needing to be shaved, without having to take skin irritations into the bargain.
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention by the features of claim 1.
An essential advantage of the present invention lies in its reduction of the number of cutter units to a minimum whilst guaranteeing optimum usage of the various configurations of cutter units in the respective directions of movement of the shaving head of the dry shaving apparatus over the area of skin needing to be shaved. Optimum feeding of long hairs and outstanding protection of the skin in the respective directions of movement of the essentially U-shaped outer cutter over the skin are achieved by the combination of the comb elements protruding on both longitudinal sides of the outer cutter beyond its longitudinal side walls with further comb elements provided at the threader combs and associated with the previously mentioned comb elements.
These comb elements provided on both longitudinal sides of the long-hair cutter unit and acting as a hair threader device enable the long-hair cutter unit and the short-hair cutter unit to be arranged on an essentially common horizontal plane in order to perform a skin-friendly combination shave.
Proceeding from this horizontal plane, which is of particular advantage for a combination shave, the floating arrangement of the long-hair cutter unit with all the comb elements in the shaving head frame guarantees a continuous adaptation of the long-hair cutter unit to the contours of the area of skin needing to be shaved while at the same time ensuring that long hairs are combed in and cut on both sides with the skin protected. This applies equally to shaving heads of dry shaving apparatuses whose short-hair cutter unit is both immovably and floatingly mounted in the shaving head frame.
In accordance with a structurally simple embodiment of the present invention, the threader combs are provided on a carrier structure of the U-shaped outer cutter.
According to an embodiment of the present invention affording high economy of manufacture, the long-hair cutter unit with the comb elements is a ready-to-install module adapted to be coupled to the carrier structure provided with threader combs. A price advantage is to be derived also from the use of a complete long-hair cutter unit that already exists or can be used elsewhere, consisting of an outer cutter, an inner cutter with coupling element and an inner cutter pressure springxe2x80x94see DE 43 12 060 C1xe2x80x94in combination with a carrier structure having threader combs, by means of which the joint floating movement in the shaving head frame can be effected.
The threader combs are formed preferably by two walls extending parallel to each other in longitudinal direction and having comb elements integrally formed thereon.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the walls are connected at their respective ends in longitudinal direction by means of a cross wall. As a further aspect of this embodiment, the long-hair cutter unit equipped with comb elements is provided between the parallel walls. The capsule-type housing form of this embodiment is particularly suitable for accommodating and securing a complete long-hair cutter unit equipped with two rows of threader elements.
The housing sleeve, open in opposite direction to the two rows of combs, enables the inner cutter of the long-hair cutter unit to be coupled to a drive element of the electric drive mechanism of the dry shaving apparatus by the simple means of a coupling element acted upon by a spring element.
To ensure an excellent cooperation of the long-hair cutter unit, the comb elements and the short-hair cutter unit, cooperating guide elements are provided on the carrier structure and the shaving head frame to control the vertical mobility of the long-hair cutter unit and the comb elements.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carrier structure is movable against the spring force of at least one spring element. A simple and therefore economical embodiment provides for the spring element to be disposed in a coupling element adapted to couple the electric drive mechanism with the inner cutter of the long-hair cutter unit.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the spring element is disposed between the carrier structure and the shaving head frame.
Excellent protection of the skin is achieved in accordance with the invention by having the outer contour of each comb element of a threader comb blend with the outer contour of the respective neighboring comb element of the outer cutter. According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the comb elements of the threader comb are provided underneath the comb elements of the outer cutter. In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the comb elements of the threader comb are positioned in front of the comb elements of the outer cutter.
Protection of the skin is enhanced by the invention by having the comb elements of the threader comb rounded off in the area of their skin-engaging surfaces. A further advantage results from the invention by providing for a smooth transition from the outer surfaces of the comb elements of the threader comb to the comb elements of the outer cutter.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the threader comb is equipped with a coarse comb tooth setting and, in a further aspect of this embodiment, the outer cutter is equipped with a close comb tooth setting of the comb elements. This construction of the comb teeth and their relative arrangement serves, in conjunction with the floating mobility of the long-hair cutter unit, to effect an optimum interception, alignment and feeding of long hairs into the cutting area of the long-hair cutter unit, while at the same time protection of the skin is assured by the rounding off of all those edges of the comb elements making contact with the skin.
In a further embodiment of a dry shaving apparatus of the present invention, provision is made for the long-hair cutter unit to be able to be switched on in two positions provided at relative opposite ends and to be switched off in an intermediate position. With such an embodiment it is preferable for the long-hair cutter unit to be floatingly mounted when in a position essentially coincidental with the height of the short-hair cutter unit. A further advantage arises from such an embodiment in that the long-hair cutter unit can be switched on and locked in a position opposite to that of the short-hair cutter unit. Starting the long-hair cutter unit equipped with comb elements according to the invention in two positions located at relative opposite ends guarantees an optimum combination shave by the floating long-hair cutter unit and the short-hair cutter unit in the one position and, in the opposite position, a shave with the short-hair cutter unit unimpairable by the long-hair cutter unit. Such a shave is desired by wearers of more or less long beards in order to shorten those hairs which lie outside a trimmed contour close to the remaining beard. Should one or more long hairs of the bearded user get into the long-hair cutter unit during such a shave, this hair will be cut by the long-hair cutter unit activated in this position. Wedging and hence painful tugging of the hair is thus prevented.
A trimmer unit is provided on the housing in addition in order to enable the trimming of hair contours with the dry shaving apparatus.